


Radiance

by cutesoleil



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Star Guardians (League of Legends), Eventual Romance, F/F, Friends to Lovers, Garen/Kat if u squint, Slow Burn, Star Guardian AU, Supportive Siblings, love me some gays in space, mimi is best star partner dont @ me, no beta we're burning bright lads, the void is evil
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:28:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24875419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cutesoleil/pseuds/cutesoleil
Summary: Luxanna Crownguard's got good looks, good grades, and a full ride to the College of Magic at the elite Valorant Institute. But she lacks a real sense of purpose. One night, she awakens the power to call upon the very stars themselves. And just in time, too, because an evil threat that could consume the whole world looms over Runeterra. And only the Lady of Luminosity can stop it. "In the name of the Stars, I'll punish you!"
Relationships: Luxanna "Lux" Crownguard & Jinx, Luxanna "Lux" Crownguard/Jinx
Comments: 27
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

***´¨)**

**¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)**

**(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ CHAPTER 00: Getting Settled**

* * *

"I'm sure you'll love it here, Luxanna."

Lux stared at the empty, barely-furnished room in front of her: a spring bed with no sheets, a scratched wooden desk and matching cushioned chair (whose "cushion" was ripped right down the center, showing off its unattractive yellow stuffings), and a small wooden cabinet shoved in the tiny space between the foot of the bed and the wall. Dull, hardwood floors, scraped and scratched from years of use and abuse, were offset by faded royal blue walls, pockmarked with holes and sticky tack, the remnants of banners and pictures hung by students who lived here before. The blinds covering the window were bent out of shape along the edges, so sunlight crept through the spaces between in uneven streaks of morning white light, highlighting the thick layers of dust covering pretty much everything.

The whole place was almost as big as an average-sized bedroom, and Luxanna Crownguard was unused to anything average. 

"It's quaint," she managed to get out. She did her best not to sniff up dust, but her nose was already starting to tickle and... Oh, God, there were, like, a thousand stains on the mattresses. She didn't want to know... "Kinda small for two people to share, though."

"You'll enjoy the company." Her brother's tone was matter-of-fact. "It's actually really comfortable once you get used to it."

"I sure hope so," she answered. She wasn't exactly convinced by her brother's dismissive tone. Her suitcase rolled behind her as she stepped further into the room. "Since I'm stuck with my roommate for the rest of the semester."

Not that she planned on being in this dusty, beat-up room very often. Oh, perish the thought. No, Lux intended to spend nearly every free moment she'd have in the campus library. As a magical arts major, Lux planned on pouring through as many of the advanced (read: restricted) books as possible, with or without permission.

Not that her brother Garen needed to know about that bit of it. He was a stickler for rules.

"Anyways," Lux said, turning around with a smile plastered to her lips, "I can't wait to see you out on the fields next week!"

Garen grinned, puffing out his broad chest in pride. "Yeah, we'll beat the pulp out of those Noxians for sure!"

Her brother was part of the football team, on a full athletic scholarship. They had a game scheduled for next week, and after a summer spent practicing, Garen was beefed up and pumped up, full of team spirit and buzzing with energy for the start of the semester. Dressed in a bright blue jersey and white basketball shorts, a white baseball cap, calf-length socks, and brown flip-flops, Garen practically oozed frat boy quarterback vibes, with the burly figure and bright baby blue eyes to match. 

Lux was almost embarrassed to be seen with him, except for the fact that his outfit had somehow not hurt the school population's opinion of Garen as he'd helped his sister unload her luggage this morning: he'd gotten plenty of high-fives and well-wishes from the other students moving in, most of whom were wearing the same shade of royal blue as Garen. The sea of blues and whites made Lux feel a bit out of place in her plain gray tee shirt, khaki shorts and beige cardigan. Even her hair was pulled back by a black scrunchy. She felt.... prude-ish, like a librarian or something.

But she refused to be intimidated by something like colors. Lux had no remarkable physical skills like her brother, but she was smart, and she had magic. She'd studied hard all through high school, managing a pristine 4.0 and scoring a perfect 1,000 on the Ability exams. She'd gotten here with hard work, pure and simple, and she knew that out of all the students meandering around today, she'd earned her place here.

Lux carefully reached out to a drawer and pulled it open, holding her breath as dust wafted into her face. "I think we should clean the room a bit," she said, "Once we've gotten all my luggage upstairs."

"Sure," Garen said, nodding. "If I have time after practice, I'll drop by to help." He placed a large box holding Luxanna's laptop and other tech on top of the drawer, sending more dust particles wafting into the air. 

Lux held back a sigh. He had practice in about 30 minutes, so basically, he had time to help her move her luggage, and then he had to leave. Meaning she was on her own to clean and unbox, at least until her roommate arrived. Which would hopefully be soon; check-ins ended at 11, and it was already 10.

"Right," she said nonetheless, and Garen held the door as she headed back into the hallway. White walls and dull blue carpeting led them back to the elevator. "So how many of the guys out there were teammates, and how many were your frat brothers?"

Garen laughed. "Believe it or not, I have friends from classes here, too." The elevator opened, and a blue-haired yordle with a cart full of boxes passed them, quick steps sending her down the hallway. Lux and her brother stepped into the elevator, and Garen pressed the button for the ground floor.

"And from the gym, I'm sure," Lux replied. Garen chuckled.

"I've been found out."

"Not hard to find when I know all your habits."

"Ah, the downsides of having a sibling," Garen lamented jokingly. "At least I have all the dirt on you, too."

Lux rolled her eyes. "What dirt? I'm a straight-A student."

"Yeah. And a straight-A nerd, which I will point out to any guys that want to get you into trouble."

The elevator pinged open, and Lux and her brother stepped out. 

"There won't be any trouble," she assured him. Students passed by them, dragging their belongings as they went. "I just want to focus on studying."

"Even so," Garen said, "I'm here if you need me."

_Like you were here for me in middle school,_ Lux thought bitterly. Then she mentally recoiled. _No, you can't blame him. And it doesn't matter_. She glanced over at Garen, who greeted everyone they passed with a smile and a wave. _He's here now. And so am I. It'll be okay._

"Thank you," she said instead.

After a few trips to the car and back, dodging other hurried students with cartloads of belongings, Lux dropped her last box onto the floor, letting out a puff of air. She found herself surrounded by cardboard boxes and bags stuffed to the brim, placeholders for the furnishings she'd soon set about adding to this worn, drab room. She'd carefully picked a few choice items from home, but mostly she'd bought entirely new things, keeping to a color scheme and idea in her mind for what the room should be like.

Garen, with a blinding grin and a dramatic salute, took off in a hurry to make it to football practice on time, leaving Lux alone to unpack her belongings. And she had a lot of them: toiletries, clothes, knick-knacks and posters and chargers and bedsheets. Everything she possibly might need, and more, all crammed into her tiny room... And she had to find space for it all, somehow. She had thought she had brought just enough, but now that she had seen the room, she wondered if she might have a bit _too_ much...

But of course, that would have to wait. There were more pressing matters to deal with. She rolled up the sleeves of her cardigan and swept bubblegum pink bangs out of her eyes.

First, Lux had to banish all of this dust from existence. Its mere presence was just _offensive_. There were spells for dealing with messes like this one, of course, simple ones to wish away the dust and more complex ones to manipulate her space. But the dorms at Demacia had a strict "No Magic" policy, so she would have to do all the grunt work by hand. 

There was just no way around it. Well, there was: she could break the rules. But Lux already planned to do that plenty in her time here. No need to start with something mundane. Besides, this room was a fresh start, and she wanted it to grow from her own hard work, her own two hands.

Lux pulled her phone from her pocket to check the time. It was 10:22, and she was alone. She allowed herself to glare half-heartedly at the door before she grabbed a dustpan from one of her boxes.

She didn't know who she shared the room with yet. The dorms at the Valorant Institute matched students up based on graduating year and answers to a painfully short questionnaire, so Lux had no clue who her roommate was. But check-ins ended in less than an hour. Barring some sort of crisis, what freshman in their right mind would miss something as important as claiming their room key?

Where was her roommate even _at?_

_Focus on the task at hand,_ she told herself. _Clean first, worry later._ So she pushed thoughts of her MIA roommate out of her mind to brush dust into a pan instead.

* * *

By the time Garen returned, Lux had tidied the place up to her liking. The horrible layers of dust were gone, the floors were swept squeaky clean, and the tiles of the shower had been thoroughly scrubbed. (Which was _not_ an easy task -- Lux shuddered to think of the germs that had been left to fester in there all summer before she'd bleached the surfaces spotless. Now a fan was running in the bathroom, blow-drying the walls and dissipating the strong smell of cleaning chemicals.)

She had made her bed, organized her desk, and was in the process of hanging posters on the walls when she heard her brother knock. She hopped off the small blue stool she'd been using and walked the short distance to the door to let him in.

"How was practice?" she asked by way of greeting. Garen must have showered after, because his hair was wet, his skin dewy and refreshed, he wore fresh clothes, and -- most importantly -- he smelled nice, like rosewood and citrus and not sweat and grass. He'd thankfully traded in his awful socks-and-sandals duo for a much more sensible pair of sneakers. 

"Wonderful!" he replied. "Jarvan's already making strides as team captain. And the new guys are really pumped, they want to start the season off with a win." His blue eyes, the same shade as her own, flickered with excitement. "We've got a really great team this year."

Lux, who'd been standing in the doorway up 'til now, moved to stand aside, ushering her brother in. 

"That's great," she said. "I can't wait to see you guys play." Garen had promised her front-row seats if she came to watch the first game they played, and while she wasn't exactly a sports person, per se, she had every intention of supporting her brother.

Now, as he ambled in behind her, she couldn't help the bit of pride that flitted through her veins as he did a double-take, brows raised as he looked around. Then he whistled, clearly impressed.

"You were busy while I was gone."

"Of course I was." Lux stepped back onto her step stool and finished sticky-tacking a poster (Mt. Targon at sunrise, a beautiful view of her favorite landmark) to her wall. "I couldn't just sit here and wait for you to come back and help me, it was absolutely _filthy_."

"Well, it's certainly not now." He nodded to the remaining boxes. "Need a hand with anything?"

Lux caught herself from saying, "No, I'm fine" -- a task in and of itself, one she was very much unused to -- and instead motioned for him to take her place. "I have the sticky tack on the walls already, just line the rest of my posters up with it." She met her brothers eyes and felt compelled to tack on a "Please" at the end of her statement.

Garen set to work with a nod, though he pushed her step stool aside, having no need for it himself. Meanwhile, Lux rolled her luggage into the closet. She and her (still absent) roommate would have to share the space, so Lux took the right side as her own and set about hanging up her clothes. She had a collection of mostly the basics: plain tees, simple tanks, neutral camis, and casual blue jeans, with a few shorts thrown in for a bit of added variety. There were a few simple dresses and skirts and jackets, too, but Lux had chosen to keep her wardrobe fairly simplistic for college. 

Basic, regular, normal. When she'd been packing back at her house, that was what she'd repeated to herself while sifting through elegant fabrics and fine textures. It wasn't easy, to find anything plain in a sea of exuberance, but it had made it all the more worthwhile.

Even her collection of shoes was modest. Considering the fact that she'd left everything designer and expensive at home, anyways. This -- a college campus, a dorm, a teeny tiny bedroom closet -- was no place for fancy handbags and silk scarves, and not just because they would be likely to only collect dust in the back corner of the closet. 

Lux didn't want any reminders of home, didn't want brand names littering her closet or jewels hanging from her neck. She had painstakingly sifted through every aspect of her life at home to ensure she brought only what she absolutely needed. Everything else could sit in her room back home and look pretty. But pretty didn't get her to where she was: her own hard work had. What she was innately good at had. 

She didn't need the wealth or luxuries she'd grown up surrounded by. All she needed was this space, this tiny, tiny room, to call her own from now on. This was her home now, and it was thoroughly hers, cleaned and polished and assembled entirely by her own hands, and she loved it already, dust-covered cabinets and all.

Her brother might be right, she conceded. The place was growing on her.

Once she was done with the closet, Lux set about helping Garen finish up with the walls. Mostly, she had scenic pictures, simple ones that could go with any room decor, as well as a football banner to support her brother's team and a string of waterfall lights to add a touch more warmth than the overhead fluorescents provided. 

Finally, Lux stepped back to admire their work. The walls were full of calming scenery, and the waterfall lights hung like morning glory vines, curling and vibrant and lovely. Her bedsheets, girly and pink, were offset by tasteful throws. (Tucked behind her pillows were her two favorite stuffed animals, Susan and Rengu, though she wasn't about to show them to Garen, or her roommate, whenever she showed.) And her desk was nice and neat, pens and pencils tucked into a white mug beside her laptop and textbooks. A grey messenger bag hung from the back of her chair, with notebooks and supplies tucked inside for classes.

Overall, the room looked much more welcoming than it had when she'd first walked in.

It wasn't perfect; Lux still wanted to hang some (preferably pink) curtains to block the sight of the bent blinds, and she needed to find a (preferably pink) rug big enough to hide the more noticeable scratches on the floor, but what she'd done with the place would suffice, for now.

Smiling, she wheeled around to face her brother.

"I'm starving," she announced. "Let's grab lunch!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lux has lunch with her brother; then, she reunites with a familiar face.

***´¨)**

**¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)**

**(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤** **CHAPTER 01: A Meal And An Old Friend**

* * *

Lunch, as it turned out, meant navigating the incredibly complicated array of inedible mush and stroke-inducing foods laid out in the campus dining hall. It was all Lux could do not to gag when she passed by a display of sliced sausages that looked well beyond expired. Garen, however, seemed to have no qualms loading up on questionable carbs, and so while Lux sat down at their chosen table with a small bowl of wilted lettuce she'd deemed probably safe to eat and a piece of wheat bread, her brother brought with him two -- TWO!!! -- entire platefuls of french fries and pepperoni pizza and what Lux decided could only be described as Mystery Meat™.

"That's disgusting," she felt like saying. Instead, she shoved a forkful of tasteless salad into her mouth. It tasted as bland as it looked, and even the olive oil she'd generously drizzled on top of it seemed to taste a bit... _Off._ Lux swallowed and opted to take a big swig of water to wash the strange flavor off her tongue.

The dining hall was separated into two sections: the first, upon gaining entry with a student access card, was the cafeteria proper, where the (totally awful and _so_ not worth the price of a meal plan) foods were prepared and served; the second was an open area of tables with cheap, plastic chairs and (of course) booths decorated in the same appalling blue and white upholstery as the chairs back in the dorm. The space was enclosed by tall glass windows on all sides and a high ceiling, giving Lux a new and renewed respect for all goldfish living in fish bowls. 

Because that was exactly what it felt like: being in a fish bowl. On the outside, people peering in from all directions, with no privacy to be had; and inside, carefree students, eating and chatting and swimming about, too absorbed in themselves and their conversations to realize they looked like pretty ponies locked up in a pen.

Lux decided right then and there that she hated the dining hall.

Garen had chosen a table near the center of the room, and as it was prime lunch time, many students meandered around them, settling into open seats and catching up with friends. While Lux and Garen at first sat alone at their large table, several people stopped by to chat with Garen. He introduced them all to Lux. She smiled and took in their names and faces, sorting them all as best she could: most of them were from Demacia, so coming to the illustrious in-state college was natural. She was familiar with names like Laurent and Buvelle: old names, like her own, all from old money. Others were less common: Lightbringer, Vayne. 

Others hailed from neighboring Piltover and Zaun, but some were from across the sea, from Ionia and the Isles. It was remarkable that all of these people had gathered here, in this city, and all for the pursuit of knowledge that they could find at Valorant University. Lux found the diversity refreshing, and looked forward to meeting more students from different walks of life.

Most all of Garen's acquaintances were involved in athletics, which wasn't surprising to Lux. They all were happy to meet her, and some stuck around to chat for a while, but none actually sat with them until Jarvan came by.

She recognized him immediately. Garen and Jarvan had been best friends since their elementary days, and now they played side-by-side on the football fields. They had also been shoe-ins for the team, not just because of their skill, but because Jarvan's father was the dean for athletics. They'd been slotted for the team before they even hit high school.

Jarvan, like Garen, was beefy and tall, though where Garen was stocky and quick on his feet, Jarvan was chiseled and sturdy. He looked the part of a leader, and his steps as he approached them were purposeful.

His lightning blue eyes met hers and crinkled at the edges as he returned her smile. He, too, carried a large heaping of Mystery Meat™ on his plate, though unlike Garen, he'd more sensibly forgone french fries in favor of vegetables, which Lux considered a more sensible and sanitary decision. Jarvan spoke even before setting his plate down at the table and joining them.

"It's good to see you, Luxanna."

"You, too." Lux answered. Garen and Jarvan exchanged pleasantries and bro talk for a bit, and Lux focused on finishing (read: forcing down) her salad. She was content to listen to the boys talk about their courses and team practice. She'd always tagged along in elementary school whenever the boys played, and they had never shooed her away or made her feel like a third wheel. Still, it had been some time since then. They'd gone on to middle school, and Lux had been shipped off to boarding school.

Finally, as the boys wheeled down, Lux decided to chime in, more to keep herself from thinking of her past than anything else.

"So I understand you're set to graduate in the spring." This was just a statement: Jarvan and Garen were in the same graduating class, so of course they would both be done in spring. "Do you have any ideas for what comes next?"

Jarvan laughed. "Oh no, you sound just like my father." Garen laughed, too. "Well, you know I'm majoring in business." Lux nodded. "So, I want to continue my education after this. Ideally," he said, and here he turned serious, " I'd like to go into politics."

Lux nodded thoughtfully. "The Law school here is one of the best," she said. "Are you looking in-state?"

"Of course," Jarvan replied. "I'm certainly not going to Nox." 

"Ah," Lux said. "Of course not." Noxus and Demacia had a heck of a rivalry: from elementary school competitions all the way to brawls on the floors of the Valoran senate, all of their aggression and disagreement culminating into a vicious collegiate rivalry between the Valorant Institute (which was located in Demacia) and Noxus's own in-state school, Nox University. 

Nox had the better law school, from a purely academic perspective, but school pride and pressure from his father meant it just wasn't an option for Jarvan. But Valorant Institute's Law school was still exceptional. And Jarvan had always taken his studies seriously, so Lux had no doubt he would be accepted into the program.

"Aside from that, I have a few internships planned out," Jarvan continued. He didn't elaborate, but Lux didn't need him to. She knew exactly who would hire him. Her grip tightened on her fork, but she forced herself to relax.

"Awesome," she managed. She smiled. "I'm glad you have it all sorted out."

"Of course," Jarvan said. "I always have a game plan. I'm team captain for a reason." He took a forkful of Mystery Meat™ and dug in. 

Lux's smile turned thin, and she looked down at her mostly-eaten salad. She decided to take a bite of her bread instead. By the grace of the First Star, it wasn't stale, and Lux wolfed the rest of it down.

"Well," Garen said through mouthfuls of french fries, "It'll be weird, once we graduate." He swallowed before continuing. "We've always been side by side. But I'm joining the Football League." 

"Well, it's not like we haven't known about it," Jarvan said. "The scouts have been after you since high school." 

Garen shrugged. "Yeah, but -- even so. It'll be different without you."

"Yeah," Jarvan said, tone lighter, "You'll actually have a shot at being a team captain yourself."

Garen chuckled as Lux giggled. "Don't think I wouldn't have given you a run for your money! I just wanted to focus on classes last semester instead of run for captain."

"Because you needed to pass Chem, you mean."

Garen laughed again. "Because I wanted a C in Chem," he corrected. Lux laughed. 

"You wanted a C," she repeated. Jarvan joined her in laughing. Garen was grinning widely, too, ever a good sport. "I can't imagine juggling schoolwork and sports!"

"You just can't imagine getting a C, don't sugarcoat it," Garen answered. Jarvan laughed harder.

"I've gotten C's," Lux protested. She realized her mistake when her brother's eyes took on a devious twinkle. She hadn't seen that look since elementary school, when they would pull pranks on the kids next door.

"In what?" Garen pressed her. She pursed her lips, and his grin widened. "Come on, say it."

She didn't want to, but she'd been outmaneuvered in this game of teasing. Her ears were burning, probably turning red. 

"... Gym," she admitted. Garen's grin turned triumphant as Jarvan burst into unrestrained laughter. "It's not like I don't have the physique for sports," she said, trying to defend herself. "I'm just -- a bit short! And had other priorities!"

"You could do plenty if you put your mind to it," Garen told her as Jarvan caught his breath. "Why don't you come to the gym with me? I'll show you what the machines do."

Lux shook her head, smiling in spite of herself.

"Me? On a treadmill?" she asked. "No, thanks. I'll keep to books and unhealthy carbs," she said, lifting her half-eaten bread for emphasis.

This prompted the boys to start talking about bulk-up foods. Lux found herself to be truly content, in that moment. She was so far from her old home, and she felt safe with her brother and childhood friend. This was a moment she wanted to capture and keep in her memory forever.

Mystery Meat™ aside, she decided the dining hall wasn't such a bad place after all. She still disliked it, but... It was tolerable.

* * *

The evening air was nice. Lux was glad that she had chosen to open the window. It had been quite a task; the window was nearly sealed shut with all the grime at its edges, but Lux's trusty bleach had made short work of it. The sun had almost dipped entirely below the horizon; the sky was a deep, rich blue, and the moon was bright.

There weren't very many stars out tonight. _Probably,_ she thought, _because of the light pollution._ The Valorant Institute was basically a college town, and had all the infrastructure one might expect to be in place around one of the largest and oldest universities in the world. Still, Lux liked to see stars. They were beautiful. She liked to think every star in the sky told a story, as it twinkled up in the sky, about its own system, of its life, what it had seen up there in the infinite cosmos.

Still, the view was lovely, even with only a handful of stars speckled against the dark blue of the night. And the air outside was fresh enough for her tastes. It wasn't mountain air, but it smelled of the grass and trees that bordered the stone pathways below, and that, to Lux, made it all the more lovely.

This is what her new home smelled like: clean sheets, cut grass, and the promise of a new beginning.

Lux allowed herself an hour after dinner (take-out, because she had taken one look at the dining hall dinner menu of rehashed Mystery Meat™️ and "fresh" side salad and decided to find something mildly edible instead) to relax and lounge on her bed, flipping through apps on her cell phone to keep up with world news and local weather. 

Once that hour was up, she set about preparing for the next day. She showered, enjoying her brand new strawberry-scented shampoo more than she thought she would. She picked out an outfit for tomorrow (Sunday, so a plain shirt and loose jeans would suffice, because she wasn't going anywhere except to explore the library.) She found numerous things to do to keep herself occupied and productive. She hated to be idle for too long.

It was almost eight PM when Lux heard the jingling of keys at her door. She was sitting at her desk, reading the first chapter of one of her core course's magic textbooks, when she heard quick footsteps, the dragging wheels of a rolling luggage container, and the distinct sound of rattling keys. Just as Lux began to stand, the door flew open, banging into the adjoining wall. She winced at the sharp sound and sent a prayer up to the gods that the impact hadn't left any marks.

"Hello, roomie!" said a chipper, high-pitched voice. "Nice ta mee-- LUXANNA CROWNGUARD?!"

Lux blinked. In front of her, lifting gaudily-large red sunglasses to show wide eyes (and with a matching mouth hanging comically open to boot), was a girl her age, with long, fiery red hair pulled into high pigtails. Lux took in the white crop top, cargo pants, and red flannel tied at the girl's waist, but those only registered faintly somewhere in the back of her mind.

It was the girl's bright eyes that drew her attention. Honey-colored. And very familiar. 

Lux only vaguely noticed the sharp angles of the girl's features, but she recognized her eyes.

She knew her.

"J-Jinx?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: LOLOLOL so remember how I said I was gonna update weekly? Yeah, me neither! Lol!
> 
> Sorry for the wait. Life is… Life. Yafeelme? Anyways, I have most of the next chapter written, so it’s time to post this one! Yay! Jinx has arriiiiived!


	3. Some Things Stay The Same

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jinx and Lux rekindle their childhood friendship.

***´¨)**

**¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)**

**(¸.•´ (¸.•` ¤ CHAPTER 02: Some Things Stay The Same**

* * *

"Jinx?" Lux felt as if her mind had gone blank, because, after a second of stunned silence, she had repeated herself. She rectified that now, blinking her startled state away. "Is it really you?"

It made Lux feel a bit better knowing that her roommate was just as shocked as she was. Her yellow-bright eyes were still as comically wide as they'd been when she saw Lux, and her mouth was still ajar. She stared openly, and hadn't moved an inch since coming into their shared dorm room and recognizing her new roommate.

Had it been anyone else to burst through that door, Lux would have been furious. Her roommate was beyond being late; it had been over eight hours since check-ins had ended, and Lux had been forced to clean their room all alone because of her roommate's absence. It was hard enough moving into a new place, and entering college was a daunting task in and of itself; but to have to face it all alone? It was uncalled for and, in Lux's honest opinion, thoroughly insensitive for her roommate to just not show up all day.

But... Her roommate wasn't just anyone.

_"Hey." Lux looked up, nervous. It was her first day of kindergarden, and Garen had left her with her new teacher to to to his own class in third grade. She cried for a while, but then her teacher had given her some paper and asked her to draw a butterfly._

_Lux's mother had always told her to do as she was told, and to help when someone asked it of her. Lux liked feeling useful. So she had dutifully begun scribbling with her crayons._

_She was almost finished now; she only needed to add some more blue to the background. (Blue because her teacher's room had a lot of blue in it, and besides, everyone in Demacia liked blue. It was the same color as their flag, and Lux thought it was very pretty.) But now she looked up from her drawing to see another student standing beside her desk._

_It was a young girl with bright red hair tied into braided twintails on either side of her head. The girl was tapping her foot, and her arms were crossed._

_"I need those." She pointed at the crayons. Lux looked down at the box sitting on her desk. "Are you done yet?"_

_"Oh," Lux said. She hurriedly finished coloring in the sky of her picture, and then she hummed happily. "Yeah, all done!"_

_"Finally!" groaned the other girl. She snatched the box off Lux's desk and stomped to the seat in front of Lux's, her red hair bouncing as she went. (Lux looked around, surprised to see almost all the seats filled now. When had everyone else come in?) "It took you forever!"_

_Lux still had the blue crayon in her hand, so she stood up and stepped over to the other girl's desk. "What're you drawing?" she asked her._

_The other girl grinned. "A super mech!" she said. "They're the coolest."_

_Lux gasped._

_"You watch Super Galaxy Heroes?" she asked. The other girl looked up. "Me, too!" Lux smiled, and the other girl grinned._

_"Fizz is my favorite," the other girl said. "He's the strongest."_

_"I like Kindred," Lux replied. She offered the blue crayon to the girl; after a moment, her classmate accepted, and smiled brightly up at Lux from her seat._

_"Kindred's alright, I guess," the other girl said. It was then that Lux noticed her classmate's unusual eye color: her big, bright eyes were yellow._ Like the sun, _Lux thought. "Hey, if you like Super Mechs, you're not all that bad."_

_"Of course I'm not!" Lux laughed. "I'm Luxanna Crownguard," she offered, and stretched out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."_

_The other girl's yellow eyes looked down at Lux's outstretched hand for a moment before she grinned so widely her eyes scrunched closed. She took Lux's hand and shook it vigorously in her own._

_"The name's Jinx," she said. "You're my new friend!"_

_She didn't give Lux a choice, but that was okay with her._

_"Yeah!"_

They had been friends from that point on, all the way up until high school, when Lux had been shipped off to boarding school without warning. She hadn't been able to say goodbye, or give her friend her new mailing address. She heard from some of her old classmates that Jinx moved away.

They lost contact.

But those yellow eyes, rare even in a place as diverse as Valoran City, were unforgettable. 

Jinx recovered first, and dropped her stuff to the ground in favor of leaping at Lux. She let out a crazed squeal as she yanked Lux into a very tight hug.

"I can't believe it's you!" she yelled. "Holy Starlight, this is so awesome!" She pulled back and tugged on Lux's hair, which was pulled up into twin pigtails. "And look at you, copying my signature hairstyle after all these years!" Jinx burst into a peal of laughter. "Awesome!"

Lux was too stunned still to speak, so after a moment of being frozen stiff, she relaxed her muscles enough to pat Jinx's shoulder awkwardly. This signal seemed to be received, because Jinx relinquished her hold on Lux, and began twirling around and cackling.

She looked a little crazy, with her red hair flying behind her like that, but Lux found herself smiling, and then joining in on the laughter. Jinx came to a stop in front of her luggage and, still wobbily from twirling around, balanced herself precariously against the hard handle. 

"So, Lux Buddy, wanna help me unpack?" Jinx asked, grinning widely as she swayed from side to side.

Lux giggled and shook her head.

"Sorry, Jinx," she said, "But if I had to unpack on my own, so do you." Jinx let out a whine. "It's only fair!"

"Yeah, yeah, alright," Jinx grumbled. Lux thought she might go to her desk on the other side of the room, but instead, the redhead knocked her suitcase over right there in the hallway, unzipped it, and set to work. 

"So..." Lux stretched her word while she wracked her brain for something to talk about. It had been so long since elementary school, and a lot had changed. "What are you majoring in?"

"Ah, you know," Jinx drawled as she lazily tossed her clothes into separate piles -- Lux had no clue why -- and clicked her tongue. "Magic!" she waved her hands, "And all that."

Lux's heart skipped a beat.

"You're in the College of Magic?" she asked. Jinx let out a whining sort of sound. She scooped up one of the piles and skipped over to her dresser. 

"Kinda?" she said. She pulled a drawer open and dumped the clothes inside it. "It's more like I'm dipping my toes into it. Yeah, that's a good way to put it."

Lux didn't think that was a clear answer at all, but she didn't press the issue. "Maybe we'll share some classes, then," Lux replied. "We should compare our schedules once you're done unpacking."

Jinx nodded enthusiastically. 

"Sounds good, Lux Buddy!" 

* * *

Lux had always considered herself to be very unlucky. But after Jinx was done shoving her belongings into miscellaneous spots around their dorm room, they'd discovered they had nearly the exact same schedule for classes. Lux wondered if all her wishes on stars back in middle school had finally paid off, because this was a brilliant stroke of luck, in her opinion.

And what was more, she and Jinx were getting along swimmingly. There were still awkward pauses in their conversations, and years of time to make up for, but they'd both settled back into their friendship with relative ease. 

In fact, it was like they'd picked up right where they left off. They still enjoyed a lot of the same things: they both liked the High Noon anime, they both listened to Pentakill, and they both were excited for the Super Galaxy reboot coming out in two months. Jinx littered her walls with crumpled posters of shounen heroes and music album cover art. (Lux let her use her leftover sticky tack, because Jinx hadn't the foresight to bring any, naturally.)

They turned in for bed after Jinx showered, but lights out apparently didn't mean mouths shut as Jinx began prattling on about why she'd been late.

"And Vi was all, 'If you don't want Cait to drive you, then figure it out yourself!' Like, so much for sibling solidarity, amirite?" Lux could hear Jinx's mattress shifting and knew her old friend was gesturing wildly with her hands. It was something she'd done since kindergarden. 

"So what did you do?" Lux wasn't particularly invested in Jinx's long-winded but somehow still excrutiatingly-vague story, but she was willing to indulge her friend. "You're not the type to back down from that kind of a challenge."

"You're damn right, I'm not!" Jinx declared. "So I turned and left with all I could fit into this suitcase and hitchhiked my way here!"

"You hitchhiked?" Lux asked, alarmed. "Jinx, that's so dangerous!"

"Don't worry, Luxie, I can handle myself." Jinx rolled over on her bed, and her yellow eyes shone in the moonlight creeping through the window. "Nobody can stop a girl on a mission, especially not if she's got a gun full of pepperspray!" Jinx made some pew pew noises for emphasis. 

Lux laughed. Her pink bedsheets were crisp and smooth against her skin. Jinx didn't bother packing any bed linens or sheets (minus a small square pillow with a purple pillowcase), so she begrudgingly had Lux's spare bedsheet set on her bed. Against the darkness, the pink sheets across the way looked a pale purple.

"Well," Lux said, "You won't have to worry about that now. I have a car."

"Ooooh, sweet!" Jinx cooed. "What kind?"

"A Heimer bug," Lux said. Jinx chuckled.

"Of course you do," she said. "Light blue?"

"Light blue," Lux confirmed. 

"Nice," Jinx said. "Not that we really need it for, like, everyday stuff. Valoran City's got everything important right around the university. I can literally walk anywhere I wanna go." She paused. "Technically. But my bicycle is a lot quicker." 

Lux laughed again, softer this time.

"Let me guess," she wondered aloud, "You painted it blue and pink yourself?"

This time, it was Jinx who giggled.

"Gee, Lux Buddy, how'd ya figure that one out?"

"Hmm," Lux hummed, "A lucky guess?"

Jinx laughed. "You still remember my favorite colors from kindergarten, that's all," she said. "'A lucky guess,' my ass!"

Lux giggled, too. "Language!" Her reprimand was half-hearted, though. 

Lux rolled onto her side to face Jinx. Her own blue eyes easily spotted Jinx's red hair, though under the moonlight and shadows of night it almost looked purple, darker than the pale pink sheets on her bed. Jinx's amber eyes crinkled at the edges as she grinned back at Lux.

"Hey, you know what?" Jinx asked. Of course, before Lux could ask, she had already continued. "This is like a sleepover!" She gasped. "Oh my Stars, it's our first sleepover, Lux Buddy!"

"Oh." Lux blinked. "You're right."

Jinx squealed loudly and bolted up in bed.

"Oooh, if only we had, like, twenty more pillows, we could totally build a pillow fort!" Lux heard Jinx's bare feet hit the ground. "Or just have an epic pillow fight!"

Lux saw Jinx's arms swing, and that was all the warning she had before something soft and puffy slammed into her face. Lux let out a yelp of surprise and sat up.

"Wh--" In her lap was Jinx's pillow, and across the room, Jinx was cackling happily. Lux huffed, and then tossed her sheets off her body. She was in casual cotton pajamas, and they felt soft and cool against her skin as she stood. "You're gonna regret that!"

Jinx cackled and spun to the side, dodging the pillow Lux chucked her way. But Lux was already up, and she made it easily to the other side of the room in time to swing Jinx's pillow. It smacked Jinx on the side. Jinx let out a peal of laughter and skipped towards their bathroom.

"Hey, hey, come on, Lux Buddy, give me a pillow back!"

Lux felt warmth blooming through her body, outwards from her heart. She recognized this feeling. It was excitement; she had felt it all the time as a child, but it had become rarer as she'd gone through school.

But here, with Jinx now, Lux was unreservedly happy.

"Come and get it," she replied, a bit breathlessly, a smile stretching across her lips. She danced across the room as Jinx lunged for her. "Don't think I'll go easy on you, though!"

"Oh, please," Jinx answered. Her lunge went wide, but she steadied herself and lunged again. Lux side-stepped her and hopped onto her bed. With the high ground, she had the advantage, but judging by Jinx's grin, that didn't faze her one bit. "Who do you think you're dealing with here?"

She tossed herself at Lux. It took Lux by surprise, and she stumbled back a few steps on her bed. Jinx used the opportunity to grab Lux by the waist and pull her down. They fell onto the bed ungraciously, and suddenly Lux was aware of how small her bed was: the twin bed barely fit one person, let alone two, and Lux's limbs were tangled with Jinx's. 

Jinx let out a whoop and scrambled off the bed. Lux, winded and dazed, realized that the pillow had been wrenched right from her hands. 

"Told ya so, Luxie-poo!" Jinx sing-songed. 

"Ah," Lux managed, and sat up. "You got me, all right." This time, her reflexes were quick enough to grab the pillow that was soaring through the air at her. Jinx's frenzied energy was contagious; Lux found a smile bubbling back onto her face, one to match the one her old friend wore. "Ready for round two?"

"Bring it on, Lux Buddy!"

They were being entirely too loud as they jumped and tumbled around their dorm room at 11 at night, but Lux found that she didn't really care. She was warm and happy and having fun.

This semester was going to be the best. She could tell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyo sorry for the looooong delay in updates. I’ve been trying to climb (im silver 1 now whooooo) and improve because I hav a clash team and I wanna get a TROPHYYYY so yeah. Also got a 5 star animal crossing island poggies. 
> 
> Anyways, yeah. Stage is set now. I know it’s slow. We’ll get to star guardian stuff eventually, but they gotta get through some more setup hoops first. (didn’t think I was gonna be writing a slow burn but here I am oh well no regrets.)
> 
> Don’t worry, I’m fine!! I’m alive and (mostly) happy!! I’m transferring universities next semester, so keeping up with application stuff is also occupying some of my time. Plus I’m just lazy lololol.
> 
> Reviews do help motivate me though :) Thanks for your kind words, everyone!! Motivated me to finally post this chapter lol. (It’s been finished for weeks, I was just bein lazy about uploading.) Anyways, onwards!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: hi this has been sitting in my drafts for literal years now. enough is enough lmao. Hope u like this. I’ve got the whole story planned out (like, I actually wrote an outline and everything – I never write outlines lol) and it should be around 15-20 chapters. Probably. But we’ll see where the story takes us!!  
> Yes, this is cross-posted on ffnet, and no, I will not be recommending u read it there, bc that account is embarrassing lol. An ancient relic that belongs in a museum. Ha. Ok laters.


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